Incubator.



PATENTED DEC. 10, 1907.

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INGUBATOR.

APPLICATION nun mm so, 1907.

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QWWMMQQ PATENTED DEC. 10, 1907,

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J. B. CHAMBERS.

INCUBATUR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 30, 1907.

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No. 873,295. PATENTED DEC. 10, 1907.

J,- -B. CHAMBERS.

INGUBATOR.

APPLICATION nun JAN. 30, 1907.

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, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. CHAMBERS, OF SHELBYVILLE, INDIANA.

INGUBATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 10, 1907.

I Application filed January 30. 1907- Serial No. 354-921.

This invention relates to incubators and.

has for its primary object the improving of devices of this character whereby to increase the efficiency of the same both in operation eluded improved egg supporting instrumentalities, an improved chick receiving and nursery'apartment or chamber, an improved arrangement of the temperature indlcating medium, and improved means associated with a, supporting casing having an open bottom for removably carrying the ventilating cloth or its equivalent.

More specifically, the invention comprises in combination, an egg supporting tray or drawer, and a tray or drawer constituting a nursery associated with said egg supporting tray or drawer whereby upon withdrawal of the latter from its casing or frame to a predetermined extent, the nursery drawer will be correspondingly withdrawn from said frame toconstitute an adequate support for the protruding portion of the egg tray.

All of the foregoing, as well as other novel features of the invention, will be apparent from the detailed description hereinafter contained when read in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof and wherein a convenient embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation; Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the same, taken on a plane-substantially centrally thereof; Fig. 4 is a similar view taken on a plane (line 0c r, Fig. 2) near one end'of the device; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the nursery and immediately associated parts, and Fig. 6 is a detailed perspective view of the nursery detached and with its elements separated.

Referring more specifically to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views, A represents a supporting frame or casing which may be of any usual or preferred configuration, that shown being of approximately rectangular contour, supported-upon legs B, and carrying at one end a heater 0 having an automatic damper D, said heater and damper not being illustrated in detail herein, inasmuch as the same form no part of,

the present invention. They may, however,

conveniently be of the type fully illustrated in my former patent N 0. 816,003, of March 27, 1906. The casing is preferably of double wall construction having an intermediate packing of non-conducting material a.

The bottom of the casing A is open as at E, this opening being bordered by ledges F at the ends of the device which support the nursery to be presently reverted to.

The front of the casing at the lower portion thereof, is cut away as at F, an egg supporting tray or drawer G being adapted to be inserted into the heating or hatching chamber H within the casing through the upper portion of the opening F whereby to slide in and out upon horizontally disposed strips J secured to the end walls of the casing and beneath complementary parallel strips K similarly mounted, the edges of the drawer or tray being rabbeted to provide flanges L projecting into and traversing the guideways formed between the strips J and K. The bottom M of the egg tray is formed of wire cloth, and upwardly projecting flanges N confine the eggs against lateral play upon said bottom which might otherwise be incident to the movement of the tray or drawer.

Slidable into and from the casing A through the opening F and below the egg tray or drawer G is the nursery drawer or tray 0, the same consisting of an angular supporting frame P, the base of which rests upon and is in turn supported by the ledges F of the casing A a wire cloth bottom Q spanning the open space of said frame and being secured thereto with the edges of the wire protected by stri s R tacked to said frame; an inner frame occupying and loose within the space between the strips R and the vertical members of the angular frame P and carrying a burlap covering T which is designed to catch and hold any dirt falling thereon, as also to overlie and maintain in place a ventilating cloth U, which latter may be of any required thickness dependent upon the temperature outside of the device.

V is another inner frame removably superposed'upon the frame S heretofore referred to and arranged within the angle frame P, this frame V being of a height terminating in the plane of the upper edges of the vertical members of said frame P and carrying at said upper edges an open-work covering 7 for the space within said frame, the function of which is to protect the chicks from injury while either the egg, tray or nursery drawer is being withdrawn or inserted.

The communication between the egg tray or drawer G and the nursery tray or drawer O is afforded by terminating the end of the frame of the drawer G and the wire bottom M at a point short of the front of said drawer to leave an open space X through which the chicks when hatched may drop from the said drawer G down into the nursery tray P, the covering WV of the latter also terminating at a point short of the front of the same to leave an open space Y registering with said first mentioned open space X to afford a free vertical passage.

To provide an ample and rigid support for the egg holding tray or support when the same is opened, as for instance, when turning the eggs, I provide coupling means between said tray or drawer and the nursery tray or drawer whereby when the former is opened beyond a given extent the latter will also be opened and constitute a support for the protruding egg tray or drawer. This coupling means comprises a pair of lugs Z depending from the bottom of the drawer G and adapted to travel in rabbeted portions 2 in the upper inner edges of the angular frame P, the rabbets extending from the back of said frame to substantially the center of the side bars whereby the ends thereof represented at 3 will constitute abutments for the depending lugs Z which, after the tray or drawer G has been withdrawn to about half of its length, will cause the nursery tray or drawer to follow in the outward movement and constitute a support for the central portion of the protruding tray or drawer G thereabove, as clearly indicated in Fig. 4.

The front of the drawer G (see Fig. 3) is slotted as at 4 for the insertion and support of a thermometer 5, the slot being of a size to permit withdrawal of the thermometer from the interior of the drawer to the outside thereof to permit inspection, but the thermometer being prevented against complete withdrawal by the bulb thereof, the device being inserted through the slot from the inside of the drawer and held in place by gravity and the binding of the edges of its end portion against the corners of the slot 4 as clearly shown in the figure of the drawings referred to. This arrangement allows the thermometer to be read without the trouble of opening the incubator or looking through a window, the latter usually with the help of an artificial light, while at the same time cold air is prevented from entering the interior of the device, and the bulb of the thermometer kept inside of the device at all times.

I claim:

1. In an incubator, a casing having an open bottom, a frame above the bottom opening, a reticulated.bottom for said frame, a ventilating cloth supported by said reticulated bottom, and means overlying said cloth to retain the same in place.

2. In an incubator, a casing having an open bottom, a frame above the bottom opening, a reticulated bottom for said frame, a ventilating cloth supported by said reticulated bottom, and means overlying said cloth to retain the same in place, said last mentioned means including a frame having an open central portion, and a sheet of burlap carried thereby and covering the ventilating cloth.

In an incubator, a casing having an open bottom, a frame above the bottom opening, a reticulatedbottom for said frame, a ventilating cloth supported by said reticulated bottom, and means overlying said cloth to retain the same in place, said last mentioned means including a. frame having an. open central portion, and a sheet of burlap carried thereby and covering the ventilating cloth, in combination with a frame resting upon said last mentioned frame carrying a reticulated covering at its upper edge to confine the chicks within the space between said covering and the burlap.

4. In an incubator, a iasing having an open. bottom, a frame above the bottom opening, a reticulated bottom for said frame, a ventilating cloth supported by said reticulated. bottom, another frame within said first mentioned frame, and a reticulated covering at its upper edge to -conline the chicks in the space between said covering and said. ventilating cloth.

5. In an incubator, a casing, a remowtble nursery therein comprising two frames, one within the other, a reticulated material spanning the opening at the bottom of one of the frames, and. a similar covering spanning the opening at the top of the other frame whereby to provide a confined space within said frame and between said reticulated materials.

6. In an incubator, a casing, a removable nursery in said. casing including a frame, and a reticulated top and bottom therefor, in combination with a ventilating cloth on said bottom.

7. In an incubator, a casing, two super posed drawers therein, one constituting an egg holder and the other a nursery, and means between said drawers for preventing the withdrawal of one of them without withdrawal of the other. I

S. In an incubator, a casing, two superposed drawers therein, one constituting an egg holder and the other a nursery, and means between said drawers for preventing the withdrawal of one of them Without withdrawal of the other, while permitting said other drawer to be withdrawn independently.

9. In an incubator, a casing, superposed drawers in said casing, de ending lugs on the upper drawer and shou ders on the lower drawer, said lugs and shoulders being arranged to cooperate to force the lower drawer open when the upper drawer is opened to a pre-determined extent whereby said lower drawer may afford a support for the protruding upper drawer.

10. In an incubator, a casing, superposed drawers therein, and means between said drawers for compelling opening of the lower drawer when the upper drawer has been withdrawn a predetermined extent whereby said lower drawer will constitute a support for the protruding upper drawer.-

11. In an incubator, a casing, superposed drawers therein, and means between said drawers for compelling opening of the lower drawer when the upper drawer has been withdrawn a predetermined extent whereby said lower drawer will constitute a support for the protruding upper drawer, in combination with a protecting covering on said lower drawer arranged near the adjoining surfaces of the two drawers.

12. In an incubator, a casing, superposed drawers therein, the bottom of the upper drawer and the top of the lower drawer occupying substantially thersame plane, and

means for mounting the drawers whereby the upper drawer when withdrawn from the casing will rest upon the lower drawer and be supported thereby from deflection or tilting in a downward direction.

13. In an incubator, a casing having supporting ledges at its sides, a drawer in said casing supported upon said ledges, and auxiliary supporting means for said drawer slidable within said casing independent of said ledges adapted to occupy a position without the casing and beneath the drawer.

14, In an incubator, a casing, and a removable nursery, in said casing, including a frame, and top and bottom members carried by said frame to support and confine the chicks in the space therebetween.

15. In an incubator, a frame having an open portion, a ventilating cloth arranged over said open portion and means overlying said cloth to retain the same in place.

16. In an incubator, a frame having an open portion, a ventilating cloth arranged over said open portion and means overlying said cloth to retain the same in place, in combination with a reticulated support for said cloth arranged therebeneath.

17. In an incubator, superposed drawers, the upper drawer being formed for the reception of the eggs,. and the lower to constitute extending substantially thereacross, and vertically alined portions of said covering and of the bottom of the upper drawer being cut away to provide a direct downward passage for the purpose described.

19. In an incubator, superposed drawers,

the upper drawer being formed for the recep- I tion of the eggs, and the lower to constitute a nursery, the bottom of the upper drawer and the top of the lower drawer being arranged in substantially the same plane, and a reticulated covering on said lower drawer extending substantially thereacross to preserve the chicks from contact with the upper drawer.

20. In an incubator, a casing having an open bottom, the opening being bordered by supporting ledges, and a nursery drawer in said casing above said open bottom thereof and resting on said ledges, said nursery drawer having a ventilated bottom constituting the bottom of the casing.

21. In an incubator, a casing having an open bottom, the opening being bordered by supporting ledges, and a nursery drawer in said casing above said open bottom thereof and resting on said ledges, the bottom of the nursery drawer constituting the bottom of the casing.

22. In an incubator, a casing, a pair of drawers in said casing, one formed to constitute an egg tray and the other a nursery, means for supporting the nursery whereby the same may be independently withdrawn from the casing, and means for preventing independent withdrawal of the egg tray beyond a predetermined extent whereby a part of the device may constitute a support for the protruding portion of the egg tray.

23. An incubator having a heating chamber, a drawer mounted for insertion in and withdrawal from said heating chamber having a perforation in its front wall, and a temperature indicating device movably held in the perforated portion of the front wall of said drawer normally projecting within the drawer but adapted to be withdrawn partially through said front wall without opening the drawer, said temperature indicating device having a projecting part arranged to engage the inner surface of said front wall, to prevent complete withdrawal of the indicating device whereby the opening is substantially closed at all times to prevent the entrance of cold air therethrough.

24. An incubator having a heating chamber, a movably mounted temperature indicating device normally projecting into said chamber but adapted to be Withdrawn partially through an opening in the Wall thereof, said temperature indicating device having a projecting part arrangedto engage the inner surface of said Wall to prevent complete Withdrawal of the indicating device whereby the opening is substantially closed at all times to prevent entrance of cold air therethrough.

25. An incubator having a heating chamber, a drawer mounted for insertion in and Withdrawal from said heating chamber, and

a temperature indicating device movably.

mounted in a Wall of said drawer and normally projecting within the drawer hut adapted to be partially withdrawn to permit inspection thereof, said indicating device being arranged to be withdrawn from or inserted into the heating chamber in consonace with the opening or closing ol the drawer whereby the device constantly indicates the temperature in the drawer in both open and closed positions of said drawer.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN E. CHAMBERS. Witnesses GEO. II. Mnnqs, J. OseAn HALL. 

